Machinery for handling sugar-cane, &amp; c.



' No. 716,753. -Patented Dec. 23, 1902.

c. PIEZ.

MACHINERY FOR HANDLING SUGAR CANE, 8L6.

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No. 7 l6,753. Patented Dec; 23, I902.

I C. PIEZ. MACHINERY FOR HANDLING SUGAR CANE, 8w.

(Application filed Nov. 19, 1901.) (m fl adel.) 3 Sheet-$heet 2.

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C. PIEZ.

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(Application filed. Nov. 19 1901.)

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CHARLES PIEZ, OEFHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGN OR TO THE LINK BELT ENGINEERING COMPANY, PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA, A CORPORATION OF PENNSYLVANIA.

NIACHINERY FOR HANDLING" SUGAR-CANE, 85o.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 716,753, dated December 23, 1902.

Application filed November 19, 1901. erial No. 82,912. (No model.)

To aZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, CHARLES PIEZ, a citizen of the United States, residing in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, have invented certain 5 Improvements in Machinery for Handling Sugar-Cane and Like Material, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to certain improvements in machines for transferring materia1 IO such, for instance, as sugar-canefrom acar to a hopper.

The object of my invention is to provide means wherebythe body of material can be turned automatically asit is transferred from i5 the car to apoint directly above a hopper.

\Vhile my invention is especially applicable in transferring sugar-cane and like material from a car tothe hopper of a crushing-mill, it will be understood that it can be used for no turning any material to be transferred from one point to another.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure l is a side view of sufficient of an overhead crane, car, and hopper end of a sugar-cane crush- 22 5 ing-mill to illustrate my invention. Fig. 2 is a sectional view on the line 2 2, Fig. 1, showing the cane suspended above the hopper. Fig. 3 is an enlarged side view of the carrier portion of the crane. Fig. 4: is a section on the line 4 4, Fig. 3. Figs. 5 and .6 are diagram views in perspective, showing the operation of the device, and Figs. 7, 8, and 9 are views of modifications.

A is the car-track on which the car A is mounted. This car, in the present instance, is loaded with sugar-cane, which is to be transferred from the car to the hopper B of the crushing-mill B. In the bottom of this hopper is an endless belt-conveyer B which carries the material from the hopper up to the rolls of the crushing-mill.

D D are vertical frames or standards supporting an overhead truss-frame D In the present instance this truss-frame has rails d, on which the carriage E is mounted.-

The above-described mechanism forms no part of my present invention, as my invention relates particularly to the means for turning the carrier for the cane.

The carriage E is moved longitudinally on the truss structure D by means of ropes e e. One of these ropes is connected to one end of the carriage andthe other to the opposite end. The rope c passes from the operating-drum F around a wheel e to a sheaves at the opposite end of the truss structure and back to one end of the carriage, while the rope e is connected to the opposite end of the carriage and passes around a sheave-wheel e to the drum F. Two ropes c are attached to the opposite end of the truss structure D and pass around sheaves f on the carriage, then around sheaves g on the the carrying-head G, back toa sheave f on the carriage, then around sheaves on the structure to an operating-drum, the sheaves and drum being directly back of the sheave e and drum F. "When it is wished to raise the carrying-head G, the ropes c are coiled on this drum and the carrying-head is raised by shortening the loop of the said ropes by which it is suspended. This form of mechanism is common in cranes of this type.

Hung from the carrying-head G is a suspension-bar H, having a series of depending eyes h, from which the sling-ropes '21 of the crane are attached. These several slingropes are also attached to a trip-rod h, tripped by the mechanism 71 This mechanism, as well as the construction of the suspension bar shown, forms no part of my invention.

The carrying-head G consists of two channel-bars G, properly spaced, a center block G and vertical members I it, also made of channel-bars. These vertical members k k form the bearings for the sheave-wheels g g for the ropes c and carry arms is for the guide-plates 75 which pass around the lower portions of the sheaves g. Passing through the center block G is a vertical spindle J, 0 carrying at its upper end a sheave-wheel L. Mounted between the sheave-wheel and a bearing-plate on the block G is aroller-bearing Z, Fig. 4, so that the sheave-wheel and its spindle J will turn freely on the block. The sheave-wheel has an annular groove 1 for a rope m, which passes around wheels M M, mounted on a horizontal shaft M, having its bearings in standards 'm', carried by brackets m secured to one of the channelbars G. The rope m is preferably secured to the sheave-wheel L. The rope m passes from the sheave-wheels M up over sheavewheels n on the carriage F. and then passes around sheave-wheels p on the permanent structure. One end of the ropem has a heavy weight 8 and the other a comparatively light weights, and on the frame I) is a stop S, preferably adjustable, which limits the upward movement of the smaller W ight s, so that when the carrying-head is e evated to lift the cane from the car and the carriage is moved along the tracks of the structure D both weights will be drawn up as the carrying-head is moved forward until the lighter weight of the two strikes the stop S, and as the carriage is moved only the .heavy weight will be drawn up by the movement of the carriage, and consequently the sheaves M M, as well as the sheave L, must turn, and the parts are so proportioned that the sheave L will turn one-fourth of a revolution, and consequently as the suspension-beams H are carried by this sheave L they must turn with it to a point at right angles to the position which they were in when directly above the car, so as to place the cane in proper position to be discharged into the hopper B of the crushing-mill B. On the carrying-head is a stop w, and on the suspension-bar H is a stop in, which engages with the stop to. When the parts are in the normal position, (shown in Fig. 3,) the stop 10' rests against the stop w, the heavy weight 3 tending to keep the parts in this position.

When the suspension-bar is turned to a point at right angles to the position shown in Fig. 3, a stop u on the suspension-bar strikes a stop to on the carrying-head. Thus the movement of the suspension-bar is limited, so as to bring it in proper position to discharge the load.

The diagram Fig. 5 shows the cane suspended directly above the car and before it is shifted, while Fig. 6 shows the cane shifted to a point directly over the hopper and at right angles to the position which it was in when above the car.

In order to allow a certain amount of play, I may make the stop S in the form of a weighted lever, as shown in Fig. 7, or in the form of a spring-cushion, as in Fig. 9, so that when the carrier is brought into position di rectly above the point of discharge and the load turned the stop will allow a limited amount of movement.

In some instances the light weight 8 may be dispensed with and the rope connected to a fixed point of the structure, as shown in Fig. 8, so that as the carrier is moved to the discharge-point the slack of the rope is taken up. and consequently that end of the rope will be held while the other portion carrying the heavy weight will be held, so as to turn the load. A spring may be mounted as shown in Fig. 8, so that the rope connection will yield to a certain extent.

The. stop S is made adjustable and set according to the distance between the car and the discharge-point.

While I have shown a single rope m, which passes around the sheave L and attached thereto in the present instance, one end of the rope having a light weight and the other a heavy weight, it will be understood that two independent ropes may be used, both of which are attached to the sheave L, although I prefer the construction shown.

It will be understood that any suitable structure may be used to support the tracks and the carriage from which the carrying head is hung, and any suitable means may be used for traversing the carriage, for raising and lowering the carrying-head, and for suspending the cane or other material from the carrying-head without departing from the main feature of my invention. It will also be understood that instead of using the car A, as shown, any suitable carrier may be used, and while I have shown the hopper of the cane-mill at the discharge-point any suitable receptacle may be used to receive the load.

I claim as my invention 1. The combination of a carrying-head, means for raising and lowering said head and for moving the same, and means for automatically turning the load suspended from the head as the said carrying-head is moved, substantially as described.

2. The combination of a carryinghead, means for raising and lowering said head, means for moving the head from one position to another, a vertical spindle mounted on said head and carrying the load, a sheave on said spindle, and ropes or chains passing around the said sheave, one end of said rope being held as the carrying-head is moved so as to turn the spindle and the load, substam tially as described.

3. The combination of a carrying-head, an overhead structure, a carriage on said overhead structure, ropes extending from the carriage and from which the carrying-head is suspended, a spindle on the carrying-head from which the load is hung, sheaves on the spindle, sheaves on the carrying-head, on the carriage and on the fixed structure, a rope passing around the sheaves, a weight on each end of the rope, and a stop to limit the movement of one end of the rope, substantially as described.

4:. The combination in means for transferring cane from a car to the hopper of a crushing-machine, of the track, a hopper at one side of the track,an overhead structure,tracks on said structure, a carriage mounted on the tracks, means for moving the carriage along the tracks, a carrying-head, ropes from which the carrying-head is suspended from the car and by which the carrying-head is raised or lowered, a suspension-bar pivoted to the carrying-head and from which the cane is suspended, with means for turning the suspension-bar on the carrying-head as the said carrying-head is shifted from the car on the track to a position above the hopper, substantially as described.

5. The combination of a carrying head, means for raisingand lowering said head, means for moving the same, a suspension-bar carried by the head, means for turning the bar as it moves with the carrier, and a stop to limit the turning of the bar when it reaches its normal position, substantially as described.

6. The combination of a carrying-head, means for raising and lowering said head, means for moving the same, a suspension-bar carried by the head, means for turning the bar as it is moved, with stops to limit the turning of the barin either direction, substantially as described.

7. The combination of a carrier, means for raising and lowering the carrier, means for moving the same, a rope for turning the load,

and an adjustable stop for the said rope, so that the point of discharge can be varied, substantially as described.

8. The combination of a carrier, means for raising and lowering the carrier, means for moving the same, a rope for turning the load, alight weight on one end of the rope, a heavy weight on the other end of the rope, and a yielding stop with which the light weight engages, substantially as described.

9. The combination of a carrier, means for raising and lowering the carrier, means for moving the same, a rope for turning the load, a light weight on one end of the rope, a heavy weight on the other end of the rope, and a pivoted weighted lever with which the light weight engages, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

CHARLES PIEZ. Witnesses:

WILL. A. BARR, J os. H. KLEIN. 

